Abe bobinson



(ModeL) A. ROBINSON.

CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM.

Patented Apr. 26 1887.

INVENTOR WITNESSES ATTORNEYS.

N PETERS, Phow-Lfihogmphw. Wndvugion. D. (:V

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ABE ROBINSON, or BROOKLYN, New YORK.

CLOCK WINDING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,837 dated April 26, 1887.

' Application filed June 52, 1886. Serial No. 203,919. (Model) To all whom it may concern.-

Beitknown that I, ABE RoBrNsoN, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, haveinvented a new and Improved Clock \Vinding Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved winding mechanism for clocks actuated by weights.

The invention consists of a wind-wheel operating a train of gear-wheels connected with a sprocket-wheel, of a weight hung by means of a pulley on an endless chain passing over the said sprocket-wheel, and of a device for locking the wind-wheel automatically.

The invention also consists of various parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation ofmy improve ment attached to a clock, parts of which are removed; and Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

The wind-wheel A, of any approved construction, is mounted in a frame, B, open at each end andattached toacasing,B. The rear open end of the frame B leads to a draft-pipe, so that the wind passing from the front open end of the frame to the draft-pipe sets the windwheel in motion. The shaft 0 of the windwheel A is provided on'its front end with a crank-arm, D, which is connected loosely with the arm E, attached to the spindle F, mounted in the frame G, secured to the casing B, and

' carrying the clock mechanism H, of any approved construction. The spindle F is connected with the spindle I by means of a train of gear-wheels, J, of any desired number and size, and the spindle I is provided with a sprocket-whee], K, over which passes an endless chain, L, on which is hung a pulley, M, carrying aweight,N,for setting the clock mechanism H in motion, which is done by passing the endless chainLover the sprocket-wheel 0, attached to the main spindle P of the clock mechanism H, so that the weightNacts on the sprocket-wheel O, and consequently on the spindle I, in the usual manner.

Both spindles F and I are provided with the usual ratchet and spring-pawls, to permita motion of the same in only one direction. the casing or frame 13 is mounted to slide vertically in suitable bearings the rod Q, carrying on its upper end the bent spring R, having a notch, R, which engages with a corresponding lug, R secured to the casing B. An arm, S, projects horizontally from the upper part of the rod Q toward the front, and a similar arm, S, projects from the lower end of the rod Q.

The operation is as follows: It will be seen that as the weightN hangs freeit exerts an equal pressure on both sprocket-wheelsO and K,and thereby imparts a rotary motion to the spindles I and P. The spindle Protates in the direction of the arrow a,and operates the clock mechanism H in the usual manner, while the spindle Iremains stationary as long as the weight is descendingand rotates in the direction of the arrow 1) when the wind-wheel Ais running. As shown in the drawings,th'e windwheel A is free to run and to impart its rotary motion by means of the crank-arm D to the arm E and the spindle F, which by the train of gear-wheels J imparts a rotary motion to the spindle I and turns the same and the sprocketwheel K in the direction indicated by the arrow 1), whereby the middle part of the chain L is moved upward, passing over the said sprocket wheel K, and thereby raising the weight N. The upper edge of the weightNis brought in due course of time into contact with the upper arm, S, of the rod Q and slides the latter upward, so that the bent spring R en* gages with the stop R and is compressed until the notch R fits over the stop R and then the spring expands and is very suddenly thrown upward into contact with the windwheel A, which is then brought to a stop and locked. This also locks the spindle I. The weight N then starts on its downward course, the right-hand end of the chain Lpassing over the sprocket-wheel O. In this downward motion the weight comes in contact with the arm S and pulls the rod Q downward, which compresses the bent spring R until the notch R is over the stop R and then the spring expands downward and is suddenly withdrawn from the wind-wheel A, which then commences to rotate and again imparts a rotary motion in the direction of the arrow 1) to the spindle I, and

the weight N is again raised until it moves the upper arm, S', upward, which again locks the wheel, and the operation above described is repeated. Thus the clock is wound automatically by the wind-wheel A.

' It will be seen that the running of the clock mechanism is not in'the least disturbed when the weight N is wound up,as the pressure ofthe weight N on the spindle P always remains the same.

The distance between the arms S and S regulates the length of time which is to elapse between the starting and the stopping of the wind-wheel A.

The number ofg'ear-wheels in the train Jcan be increased or decreased,according to circumstances.

The connection of the wind-wheel and the clock-work mechanism by the crank Dand its engaging-arm E permits the wind-wheel,when released, to make a single revolution and thus gaink some headway before performing any wor Having thus fully described my invention, I

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a clock actuated by weights, of a motor for winding up the weights automatically, a notched spring-rod having an arm, and a stop for throwing the spring of the rod suddenly into contact with the wind-wheel by the action of the weight, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination of a clock actuated by weights with a wind-wheel for winding up the weights automatically, a rod having two arms, a spring attached to the said rod and having a notch, and a stop-pin for throwing the spring wheels with a spindle having an arm, and a wind-wheel having a crank-arm engaging with the said spindle-arm, substantiallyas shown and described;

4. In a clock winding mechanism, the windwheel A, mounted in the frame 13, and having its spindle 0 provided with the arm D, the spindle F, having the arm E, the train ofgearwheels J, the spindle I, and the sprocket-wheel K, mounted on the same, in combination with the endless chain L, the pulley M, the weight N, and the sprocket-wheel O on the main spindle P of the clock mechanism, substantially as shown and described. r

5. In a clock winding mechanism, the sprocket-wheels O and K, mounted on the spindles P and I, the endless chain L, passing over the said sprocket-wheels, the pulley M, mounted on the said chains, and the weight N, in combination .with'the vertically-sliding rod Q, the arms S and S, the spring R, having the notch R and secured to the rod Q, the stop R, and the windwheel A, substantially as shown and described.

ABE ROBINSON.

Witnesses:

THEo. G. HosTER, O. SEDGWIOK. 

